'THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS,' CHARLIE

Poignant words from someone who cares about Charlie Sheen.

CHARLIE SHEEN…TICK…TICK…TICK
By Patrick Hurley

politcalmavens.com
March 14, 2011

Watching Charlie Sheen melt down is not funny nor should it continue to be publicly newsworthy. Like a man caught in a trap of his own making, it is painful to see the tiger blood slowly drain out of him as he screams from the bloody shackles gripping him. Watching his incoherent rantings and ravings has evoked a spectrum of emotions from the American people: anger, disgust, revulsion, criticism, horror and a judgment that he needs to get what he deserves. Well, he deserves help. If he doesn’t get it soon, Mr. Sheen will die a tragic death like his fragile predecssors, Marilyn, Elvis, Jimi and…well, this list seems abysmally endless.

The difference between Charlie Sheen and a lot of celebrity overdoses or suicides is that he is raging towards his end. Unlike many of those we prematurely said goodbye to in the past, Charlie is racing his car towards the precipice of life’s Grand Canyon daring someone to stop him before it is too late. With each passing day his speed seems to double without brake lights. It is just a matter of time before his life will become airborne and he will smirk at the visages of John Belushi, Chris Farley, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain who will be sadly shaking their heads at their potential soulmate in premature death.

No one will mistake Charlie Sheen for Laurence Olivier. He was one of those fun actors we imagined having a beer with at a ballgame. Likeable. Charming. The “Wild Thing” with a heart. We saw him chase girls, throw pitches, “just a BIT outside!” and, be manipulated by Gordon Gecko. He was a harmless actor and seemingly, a pretty nice guy in real life. That has all changed. “This is your brain, Charlie. This is your brain on drugs. This is now your shortened life span on drugs.”

I don’t judge Charlie Sheen. I pray for him. This is all so sad to watch. Most self-destructive human beings quietly pass away in a smoke-filled drunken haze or are found the next morning by their housekeeper or maid. To see a man completely disintegrate in a screaming free fall is more than unnerving. It is gut-wrenching.

Please let someone come along who can calm the tempest in this man’s soul before we are watching celebrity tributes from around the world about the good things we remember him for and not the stark reality of a person gone mad before our very eyes.

I end on a personal note. To Mr. Sheen.

Like you memorably said in the movie, “Wall Street” as you entered Gecko’s office for the first time, “Life comes down to a few moments. This…is one of them.”

This is your real life moment, Charlie. Get help. Your life depends on it.

Please.